January Rogers facts for kids

January Rogers (born in 1963) is a talented writer and artist from Canada. She is a member of the Mohawk and Tuscarora nations, which are part of the First Nations people of Canada. She grew up as part of the Six Nations of the Grand River, a large Indigenous community in Ontario.

Rogers is famous for her powerful poetry. She doesn't just write poems for books; she also performs them on stage. This is called spoken word poetry, where the poet's voice and performance bring the words to life.

Early Life and Starting Out

January Rogers was born with the name Janet Marie Rogers in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 1994, she moved to the city of Victoria.

Before she became a writer, Rogers was a visual artist, creating art that people could see. She discovered her passion for writing in 1996 and began to focus on poetry.

A Career of Words and Community

In 2019, Rogers moved back to the Six Nations community. There, she started her own publishing company called Ojistoh Publishing. She also created the Six Nations Inaugural Literary Award (SNILA) to celebrate and encourage other writers in her community.

Sharing Stories on the Radio

Rogers has also worked in radio, where she hosted shows like Native Waves Radio and Tribal Clefs. She produced radio documentaries that told important stories. Two of her documentaries, Bring Your Drum: 50 Years of Indigenous Protest Music and Resonating Reconciliation, won awards for being the best radio programs at a major arts festival.

An Honored Poet and Teacher

From 2012 to 2014, Rogers held the special title of Poet Laureate for the city of Victoria. A Poet Laureate is a person chosen to write poems for special events and to promote a love of poetry among the public.

Universities have also recognized her talent. She has served as a "writer-in-residence" at several universities, including:

• The University of Northern British Columbia (2015)
• The University of Alberta (2018-2019)
• Western University (2022-2023)

As a writer-in-residence, she helps students and other writers in the community improve their skills and find their own creative voices.

Working with Other Artists

Rogers enjoys working with other artists. She started a group called Ikkwenyes with another Mohawk poet, Alex Jacobs. The name "Ikkwenyes" means "Dare to Do." Together, they have won awards for their creative projects.

Published Works

January Rogers has published many books of poetry and has also released recordings of her spoken-word performances.

Poetry Books

• Splitting the Heart (2007)
• Red ... (2010)
• Unearthed (2011)
• Peace in Duress (2014)
• Totem Poles and Railroads (2016)
• As Long as the Sun Shines (2018)
• Ego of a Nation (2021)
• The State of Indigeneity 2022 (2024)

Music and Spoken Word Albums

• Firewater (2009)
• Got Your Back (2012)
• 6 Directions (2013)
• As Long As the Sun Shines (2018)

Awards and Recognition

Rogers has received many honors for her work. In 2020, her project "Ego of a Nation" won the award for best music video at the American Indian Film Festival.

She has also been nominated for several major music awards for her spoken-word albums. In 2013, she was a featured performer at the Vancouver Youth Poetry Slam, where she shared her powerful poem "Opposite Directions" with a young audience.